UPCOMING: Omar, Taylor McFerrin at Weeksville — June 2

UPDATE: This show has been postponed as of June 1. Visa issues with Omar. He explains here.

@weeksville

It’s getting towards June and July, and if you’re in Brooklyn, that means outdoor concerts. There’s almost too many to name. In fact, I have to sit down with all the schedules (Summerstage, Celebrate Brooklyn), and figure out which are must-see shows, just to manage my family’s expectations of when I’ll be around and when I won’t. Of course, I now know I also have to add Weeksville’s Garden Party series to the mix. And the series seems to get better every year, thanks to the tireless efforts (and good taste) of curator Shawn Peters.

This first event kicks off the Garden Party series, which won’t get underway until July. In the meantime, Weeksville welcomes British Nu-Soul legend Omar and rising future soul/jazz artist Taylor McFerrin. Remember Omar? England’s Nu-Soul legend was a major influence for the America’s Neo Soul movement of the late 1990’s. Artists such as Common, Erykah Badu, Maxwell, and Jill Scott all claim Omar as a major influence.

As for Taylor, he is redefining the term “one-man show.” Combining his skills as a producer and performer, he makes music heads around the world take notice as he seamlessly builds songs from scratch with his ambitious solo project. Vocals, Fender Rhodes, synthesizers, samples, and beat boxing are meshed together in his Brooklyn studio as Taylor builds from his roots deep in ‘60s soul to his vision of future hip-hop. Here’s a taste of what he does: